The JSA’s 2015 Seminar will be held at The English Speaking Union, 146 Toorak Road West, South Yarra, on Saturday July 4, 2015 with an  entertaining day of Johnsonian and eighteenth century enjoyment.

Registration is at 10.30 and the fee for the seminar, including lunch and teas, is $30 for members and $35 for guests.

Subjects and speakers are:

Johnson and the Industrial Revolution

Ian Keese ,  to whom we give a hearty welcome as a new member of the committee, is a retired teacher of history who also has qualifications in science. His presentation stems from his interest in the life and works of Johnson and the development of the industrial revolution.

A reading from The Rambler

Barrie Sheppard, a long-time member of the JSA, a former President ad current Treasurer, has made a speciality of readings from Johnson’s essays. This time he has chosen an extract from The Rambler.

Johnson and the OED

Basil Stafford, a long-time JSA member, examines Johnson’s Dictionary and the OED in his short lecture entitled “The OED Annoints”.

The “English Bach”

Barbara Niven, Secretary of the JSA and a lifelong music lover, will  provide Incidental music by “the English Bach” Johann Christian, son of Johan Sebastian Bach.  Barbara will discuss how J.C. Bach spent much of his life in London, where he had a highly successful professional career.

Treasured trifles

John Byrne will talk about his adventures  in gathering his large collection of ephemera from Johnsonian societies and celebrations around the  world. He will show some of this material dating back to the 19th century.